2012: The 10 comic books you shouldn’t miss

2012 was a great year for comic book fans – not just for reading, but for viewing as well! We watched The Avengers finally get the Hulk right. We saw Bane and Batman battle it out in the final chapter of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. The Amazing Spider Man delivered more character (and less bounce) than a tennis ball. And the Man of Steel trailers simply left us wanting more!

The movies were great. But there’s simply no replacing the mind-blowing artwork and intricate plots that artists and writers weave into a comic book. Here, in no particular order, are this year’s 10 comics you should definitely read.

Saga

(Pic: Cover Art courtesy Image Comics)

Written by Brian Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples, Saga is a classic Romeo & Juliet tale set in space. Described by many as a ‘Star Wars meets A Game of Thrones’, the story follows Marko and Alana, two soldiers from opposite sides of an interplanetary war who fall in love and have a baby – Hazel (who occasionally narrates the story) – and are on the run from bounty hunters, soldiers and a whole lot of other aliens in the galaxy. Saga, however, is not about spaceships and blasters. It’s a story with well-developed characters that one can identify with and is supported with equally great art. How good is it? The first print run of the first issue sold out before the release date!

Hawkeye

(Pic: Hawkeye (2012) #2 cover by David Aja)

Yes, we’re talking about that crossbow-wielding guy from The Avengers who was possibly the most under-used character in the movie. Writer Matt Fraction and artist David Aja give Hawkeye a.k.a Clint Barton the gritty treatment by showing us the non-superhero side of the man – a government agent who can take a lot of punishment while taking on gangsters and villains of every sort. This is simply a really fun comic to read and I think will be a great series to follow.

The Hive

(Pic: Illustration from The Hive by Charles Burns)

Charles Burns’ eerie psychedelic follow-up to X’ed Out continues the story of Doug as he confesses his past while trying to recall the details how his life fell apart. While on the surface, Doug’s world seems to be a hellish alternate reality, what’s spooky is that it (in many ways) mirrors our own. Burns’ gift for the multilayered narrative makes his one a must-read.

Fatale

(Pic: Fatale preview snippet)

The writer-artist duo of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips who put out some of the most seminal noir work (like Criminal) returned this year with the story of Josephine, a woman who doesn’t seem to age. With Fatale, Brubaker successfully mixes supernatural with noir while Phillips brings his trademark dark realism to the artwork. Saying more would be giving away the story.

Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City

(Pic: Cover art by Guy Delisle)

Guy Delisle is as much a journalist as he is a travel book (comic) writer. In my opinion, being more of the latter makes him better at the former. While Joe Sacco is usually considered to be among the better graphic journalists today, in my opinion, Sacco tends to take sides. It’s not reflected by his writing, but in the art and layout. Delisle’s outing of Jerusalem puts into sharp perspective the impact of conflict on the daily lives of the residents – both Muslim and Jewish – on either side of the wall. His simple art and writing style make it both, a compelling report and a travelogue.

The Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred

(Pic: Issue 3 cover art by Shaky Kane)

To say that this one is ‘different’ would be an understatement. David Hine writes and Shaky Kane draws what is one of the most chaotic and path-breaking narrative styles yet. This isn’t something you read for the story, but something you read because you’re fascinated by the grotesqueness of the artwork which somehow makes the writing work. Also embedded in the stories are mini-tales which Hine uses to make statements on various subjects – like the propaganda embedded in comic books of yesteryear. Each issue tells a single story, so don’t bother about which ‘number’ you’ve picked up. This is one for the connoisseur.

Wonder Woman Vol. 1: Blood (The New 52)

(Pic: Cover image courtesy DC Comics)

It took Brian Azzerello to finally do it! After decades of seeing something that was there “just for the old fans”, we finally have a Wonder Woman comic book series that can hold its own. As he did in Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, Azzerello reinvents Diana’s backstory to make her a demigod charged with the protection of a mortal woman pregnant with Zeus’ child. It’s a story about power and politics (of Olympus) that’s unapologetically violent… the kind of stuff you’d expect from Azzerello.

Building Stories

(Pic: Illustration by Chris Ware)

If the previous one was about different narrative style, then Chris Ware ensured that this one was also about different mediums! To begin with it comes in a boardgame-sized box. Open the box and you’ll find 14 different parts of all sizes – including broadsheet supplements, books, pamphlets, and scraps. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle, but minus the ‘big picture’ to guide you… and you’re faced with the task of putting it together. True to form, Ware explores everyday life in a story about a landlady, a spiteful married couple and a lonely amputee – all living in the same building.

America’s Got Powers

(Pic: America’s got Powers promo. Enlarge image)

Writer Jonathan Ross and artist Bryan Hitch take you into a future where everything we do and see is backed by a faceless corporation – including the superheroes who battle it out on the eponymous reality show for TV ratings. With a plot that’s very similar to Matz & Jacamon’s Cyclops, the story revolves around a character trying to do the right thing in a world gone bad – that’s increasingly tempting him as well. Hat-tip to Jonathan Ross for getting the social commentary just right.

Batman: Death of the Family

(Pic: Promo image courtesy DC Comics)

And finally, no comic book list is complete without a Batman comic. This year’s pick is definitely Scott Snyder’s extension of the Dark Knight saga with the Joker finally coming back to DC comics after a year. Not to be confused with the late 80s A Death in the Family (when the Joker beat the second Robin to death with a crowbar), this time around the Joker is out to kill every one of Batman’s allies including Catwoman, Batgirl, all the Robins, and even Alfred.

Here, in Snyder’s own words, is his evaluation of the Joker’s psyche: “He has this strange belief that Batman is this kind of Bat-king of Gotham. And that he serves him the way a court jester historically has served the king … to bring the king the bad news. But in this case he sees himself as delivering the worst news of Batman’s own heart, his own nightmares, in the form of these horrifying challenges that Batman can then overcome and become stronger and (a) more resilient king of the city… The Joker in our story … really believes that the family.

The Bat Family — Nightwing and Red Hood and Batgirl and Robin and Red Robin – all sort of do Batman a terrible service because instead of challenging him and making him a stronger, fiercer king, they try to convince him that whoever he is beneath the mask is more important, and that he’s human and tender and should have feelings for people, and should sort of temper the qualities that make him a great king of Gotham.”

Cheers & have a great year ahead!

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Author

Anish Dasgupta takes comic books more seriously than most. He is a former researcher and lecturer in the field of graphic narratives. An alumnus of the Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA), he’s a (m)ad man by trade – dabbling in account planning, copywriting, brand management and digital marketing. He’s been a visiting faculty at various institutes and lectured extensively on comic books and graphic narratives.
For more on comics, check out his personal blog at www.9thart.com
Follow Anish on Twitter @anishdg

Anish Dasgupta takes comic books more seriously than most. He is a former researcher and lecturer in the field of graphic narratives. An alumnus of the Mudr. . .